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March 4, 2012

Eggplant Frenzy!

March 4, 2012

Fasting amplifies personal valuation of food. I did a liquid, raw food experiment in January. It was great in the beginning. After two weeks it felt unnatural.

Although I adore berry and fruit smoothies, and have kept the habit of drinking them for breakfast, I ran into trouble with vegetable ones. The powerful, mechanical process of blending carrots, beets, broccoli or other veggies seemed to alter their constitution and violate the natural order of human diet. Soon I wasn’t able to swallow them, even when they tasted pleasant and vital. The attempt turned into a psychological warfare. My need for texture became overbearing. I wanted to bite and chew. And to taste the subtle transformation vegetables go though in the process of cooking; whether steamed, braised, fried or roasted.

What started as an innocent contemplation of eggplant, turned into an obsession! I’ve never had a favourite vegetable, and even if I had, it wasn’t eggplant. It can offer a dreadful culinary disappointment if not well prepared: some of you may have gagged when a slimy, undefined lump of eggplant has clung on the throat. I have. But now, gone are the days I could only enjoy crisp, fried eggplants. For the past month I’ve cooked them in large quantities and ways. There isn’t a dish I dislike.

For the simple reason of being most photogenic, I’m sharing an easy recipe of oven roasted eggplants. By now you must’ve noticed I roast everything, ad nauseam! Gradually I will post recipes of other cooking methods, too. I promise, ok?

I have to agree with you about juice fasting. I can only do it if I eat one light meal at the end of each day and drink juices for the rest of the day! I also love eggplants and they are certainly a staple at my house, especially now when they are in season! I have eggplant growing in my kitchen garden too! This sounds delicious!

From the placing of different elements (ingredients and cooked food), the direction, the colours, the angle- everything is just perfect. ALso,eggplant is my favourite vegetable right from my childhood. I love it in all forms, mashed, fried, roasted and chopped.

Lakshmi u r magician. No the truth is u r extremely talented. Eggplant can be so hard to photograph but u did marvelous job. I pretty much roast everything too. Have been thinking of a raw diet for a while!

Debugcooking - I love the idea of lasagna with eggplant and WITHOUT pasta! Genius :-)!

Kulsum - eggplant is sooo difficult to photograph. I would like to share many favorite recipes, but I let you and others sweat behind the camera instead :-)

Raw diet is good as a temporary boost. It is powerful and gives a lot of energy. You experience prana, vitality, of fruits and vegetables fully. It is more suitable for certain constitutions than others. I know many people who permanently live & thrive on it. It doesn't resonate that well with me.

I have always loved eggplant, and as I get older, I do believe that love has deepened even more. It's versatility, it's texture, the varying hues - it's just a beautiful vegetable! Your dish and photographs are just beautiful, Lakshmi.

Hello Lakshmi,I have only recently discovered your beautiful blog and I last night I tried the roasted eggplants for dinner. I have never been particularly fond of eggplants, but I am on a diet now and must eat plenty of vegetables, either raw or cooked in the healthiest way possible. It was delicious! Thank you for making me discover and appreciate new tastes. The photos are spectacular.Gaby

Lakshmi, you have a gift to make simple things look exotic... A breathtaking feast for the eyes!Every now and then I contemplate on doing a juice cleanse as it feels like the right thing to do, haven't acted upon yet.Eggplants are my all time favorite, have not tried them grilled or sliced and roasted though.And, thank you for stopping by.. It always brings a smile to my face..

Wow, every post is a feast for the eye, here!I came to know your blog via Honey and Jam, and I've been following you, since...Your photos are awesome, and 'purely' dreamy and magical!As for this recipe, I love baked aubergines too, though I cook them mostly in summer, when they are in season, here in Italy.Hope you have time to visit my blog, I would love a comment from you :-)

You must try eggplants roasted on a charcoal fire - you will be amazed at the enhancement, even if you already love them! I suddenly understood how they became a staple in the desert cultures of the world, where open fire cooking is the norm. They're delicious!